MIAMI -- Mike Lowell was back to dealing with issues he can handle, like driving in runs. A day after returning from a weekend of medical examinations as part of a tumour scare, Lowell went 2-for-3 with two RBIs, leading the Florida Marlins to a 4-1 victory over the Montreal Expos last night.

Lowell, who had surgery in 1999 for testicular cancer, felt soreness in his groin the last three weeks and doctors told him Friday a golf ball-sized mass above his left femur might be a tumour.

But the following day, specialists in Gainesville, Fla., determined it was not a tumour or cancerous and instead was fibrous dysplasia, a benign condition of the bone.

Lowell said getting into the batter's box "felt like I was back in the normal world, not in the worries that I was in the last few days."

In his first at-bat, Lowell singled home Juan Pierre. He also drew a bases-loaded walk in the sixth.

"He was a big lift to our ball club, as soon as he walked in our clubhouse you could see it in the atmosphere and the attitude. It was completely upbeat," Marlins manager Jack McKeon said. "They were happy to see him, and as soon as he got that first hit, the guys in the dugout were hollering 'Mike's back, Mike's back.' "

Josh Beckett (4-4) scattered seven singles over seven innings, striking out seven and walking one.

"They hit every ground ball at somebody. What else can I say?" Beckett said.

A pair of hitting streaks ended for Expos players. Jose Vidro was 0-for-2 with a walk and a sacrifice bunt to snap his 13-game string and Orlando Cabrera was 0-for-4 to end his 15-game streak.

Ugueth Urbina pitched a scoreless eighth for Florida. The Expos scored in the ninth on Brad Wilkerson's triple and Wil Cordero's ground out.

"The way we're going, three runs down is like 10 runs," Expos manager Frank Robinson said. "We're getting shut down too many innings."

MARLINS 4

EXPOS 1